The Waste materials need to be recycled in some method to avoid ground contamination. One of the methods to reuse such materials is to include in concrete materials. This will decrease pollution and ...encourage sustainable development in environment conservation. In this work ash wastepaper was partially replaced as 0%, 5%, 7% and 10% in place of cement in concrete for M-25 mix ( i.e. concrete design mix of 1: 1.60 : 2.37 cement, sand and aggregate as per ASTM C 94 : 2007) with 0.48 w\c ratio was used. About 4 mixes with ash wastepaper were prepared. Strength properties were determined by compressive strength, splitting tensile strength and flexural tensile strength at (7, 14 and 28) days. From The results showed that the replacement of ash wastepaper increases the compressive strength and splitting tensile strength and flexural tensile strength by (22.129%), ( 4.160%) and (34.783%) respectively, at (28) days of curing when (5%) 0f ash wastepaper was added by weight.
Economic problems bumped the film industry to the bottom of the government's priority list, while the rise of conservative forces further curbed cinematic growth.
Since Sanaa has become the headquarters of Houthi rule, locals point out that the capital city tends to exhibit animosity against the Saudi-led coalition and the south -- not only because it's moving ...in line with Houthis' stance, but also because of the historical tensions between the north and the south.
Mode of action of kefir supplementary dietary against viral infection.
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•Kefir and kefir derivatives can suppress viral activity by modulating immune-system responses and/or causing ...disruption of viral adhesion.•The antiviral mechanisms of kefir involve enhancement of macrophage production and boosting the activity of proinflammatory cytokines.•Kefir dietaries have anti-inflammatory activity by inhibiting the activity of proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-6.•Using kefir (and its byproducts) as an inhibitor of expression of proinflammatory cytokines in COVID-19 patients could be a viable policy.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a recently discovered coronavirus termed ‘severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2′ (SARS-CoV-2). Several scholars have tested antiviral drugs and compounds to overcome COVID-19. ‘Kefir’ is a fermented milk drink similar to a thin yogurt that is made from kefir grains. Kefir and its probiotic contents can modulate the immune system to suppress infections from viruses (e.g., Zika, hepatitis C, influenza, rotaviruses). The antiviral mechanisms of kefir involve enhancement of macrophage production, increasing phagocytosis, boosting production of cluster of differentiation-positive (CD4+), CD8+, immunoglobulin (Ig)G+ and IgA+ B cells, T cells, neutrophils, as well as cytokines (e.g., interleukin (IL)-2, IL-12, interferon gamma-γ). Kefir can act as an anti-inflammatory agent by reducing expression of IL-6, IL-1, TNF-α, and interferon-γ. Hence, kefir might be a significant inhibitor of the ‘cytokine storm’ that contributes to COVID-19. Here, we review several studies with a particular emphasis on the effect of kefir consumption and their microbial composition against viral infection, as well as discussing the further development of kefir as a protective supplementary dietary against SARS-CoV-2 infection via modulating the immune response.
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has serious consequences such as increased risks of preeclampsia, macrosomia and cesarean delivery. Even though the mechanistic basis of GDM has not been ...completely understood, several risk factors have been identified and one of these is vitamin D. However, the link between vitamin D deficiency and development of GDM is yet to be proven with certainty.
This study aimed to investigate the link between the incidence of GDM and serum vitamin D level in pregnant women of Saudi Arabia. 515 Saudi women (ages 18-46) in their 24-28th week of pregnancy, visiting various hospitals of Riyadh, participated in this study. Serum vitamin D and various biochemical and anthropometric parameters were determined in the first trimester and the recruits were screened for GDM by OGTT according to IADPSG criteria in their 2nd trimester. The association between vitamin D deficiency and development of GDM was calculated based on odds ratio of the incidence of GDM among vitamin D deficient and normal women.
In this study cohort of 515 pregnant women, in the first trimester vitamin D deficiency (< 50 nmol/l) was detected in 425 (82.5%). On their 2nd visit (2nd trimester), 116 (27.7%) were diagnosed with GDM out of 419 with OGTT, according to IADPSG criteria. GDM risk was significantly higher among vitamin D deficient than non-deficient women (Odds Ratio: 2.87; Confidence Interval: 1.32-6.25; P = 0.008) even after adjusting for season, sun exposure and vitamin D intake (OR: 2.9; CI: 1.07-7.89). Of the various anthropometric and biochemical parameters, the GDM women differed significantly from non-GDM women with respect to serum levels of triglycerides (in mmol/l) (1.3 ± 0.6; 1.5 ± 0.6, p = 0.018) and fasting glucose (in mmol/l) 4.7 (4.3-5.2); 5.1 (4.6-5.6), p < 0.01. Also, fasting glucose level in the 2nd trimester correlated inversely to serum vitamin D level determined during the 1st trimester (r = - 0.121; p = 0.014).
Results of our study reveal a significantly higher risk of development of GDM among pregnant women having deficient vitamin D status.
The burden of cancer diseases is increasing every year, therefore, the demands to figure out novel drugs that can retain antitumor properties have been raised. This study aimed to investigate the ...anti-tumor properties of amygdalin (Amy) against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) bearing mice and its protective properties against liver damage. Amy and the standard anticancer drug Sorafenib (Sor) were given alone or in combination to Swiss albino female mice that had been injected with EAC cells. Biochemical parameters of liver function (AST, ALT, GGT, total protein, albumin), tumor volume, oxidative stress malondialdehyde, (MDA) and antioxidative superoxide dismutase (SOD), and reduced glutathione (GSH) markers were measured. The hepatic expression of the antioxidant-related gene nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), the migration-related gene matrix metalloprotease 9 (MMP9), and the angiogenesis-related gene vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were evaluated by qPCR. The results revealed that EAC-bearing mice treated with Amy and/or Sor showed a decrease in the tumor burden and hepatic damage as evidenced by (1) decreased tumor volume, number of viable tumor cells; (2) increased number of dead tumor cells; (3) restored the liver function parameters; (4) reduced hepatic MDA levels; (5) enhanced hepatic GSH and SOD levels; (6) upregulated expression of Nrf2; (7) downregulated expression of MMP9 and VEGF, and (8) improved hepatic structure. Among all treatments, mice co-treated with Amy (orally) and Sor (intraperitoneally) showed the best effect. With these results, we concluded that the Amy improved the antitumor effect of Sor and had a protective role on liver damage induced by EAC in mice.
In the presented work, potassium dichromate in the presence of sulfuric acid was used as a reagent for spectrophotometric determination of imipramine HCl concentration in tablet formulations. The ...variables of the proposed method such as volume of potassium dichromate (0.01%), volume of sulfuric acid (10 M) and concentration of imipramine HCl (µg mL−1) were optimized by response surface methodology via Box-Behnken design. The optimum conditions were 14 µg mL−1 of imipramine HCl, 0.6 mL of 0.01% potassium dichromate and 5.0 mL of 10 M sulfuric acid. The green coloured product (dimeric compound of imipramine HCl) absorbed maximally at 620 nm. The stoichiometric ratio between imipramine HCl and potassium dichromate was studied by mole ratio method and found to be 2:1. The formation constant (Kf) and apparent Gibb’s free energy (ΔG°) were calculated and found to be 1.858 × 1014 and −81.182 kJ mol−1, respectively. Beer’s law was obeyed in the imipramine HCl concentration range of 1–14 μg mL−1 with molar absorptivity of 2.25 × 104 Lmol−1 cm−1. The proposed method was successfully applied for the determination of imipramine HCl concentration in tablet formulations (solid materials) and statistically found to be in good agreement with the reference method. The % recovery of proposed and reference methods was in the range of 99.94–100.08% and showed the compliance (100 ± 2%) with regulatory guidelines.
Adsorption of dyes on solid surfaces has been given considerable interest as one of the most efficient water treatment procedures owing to their low cost, simplicity, recyclability and adsorption ...efficiency. In this contribution, we report a simplified synthetic route of a novel bipyridinium-based viologen polymer from the polymerization of a viologen-based dialdehyde with aryl-based dihydrazide in an acidic aqueous solution. The developed polyviologen was exposed to the simple freeze-drying process to introduce the corresponding fibrous-like aerogel with high surface area. The chemical structure of the acylhydrazone-based viologen polymer (AHVP) was fully characterized using different spectroscopic techniques. AHVP displayed excellent affinity to form assembled hydrogel. Interestingly, the produced polymers introduced AHVP-linked covalent organic hydrogel framework that is organized in the form of nanofibers. Due to large surface area and surface functionalization, the ability of the active freeze-dried AHVP to adsorb Reactive Blue 19 (RB19) from an aqueous solution worth to be examined. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and UV–Vis absorption spectra were utilized to examine the aerogel surface morphology of the three-dimensional metal–organic viologen framework before and after adsorption of Reactive Blue 19.
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